Stiffening up suspension with little/no drop

[randeez]

2012 yukon awd -
As much as i would love to do a 4/6 drop, i really just need to run over stuff sometimes. It does have the autoride as long as i can keep lights off the dash i have no problem deleting it. it's just mushy all over, sway bars should take care of the cornering, but it's the weight transfer accel and braking that i want to tame. Im also open to lifting a little bit but looked at most kits are just spacers for anything up to about 4" of lift

upgraded sway bars - djm, belltech, hotchkis any other worth looking at any realy differences between them? and would I just use stock end links(upgraded stock length available?)?

front- endgame will probably be a coil-over... been keeping an eye on tony/belltech's offering. there's some other options that pretty much steal lift kits coilover mount to convert it to an eye, and then piece together a set of QA-1, viking, etc with bearing/bearing mounts, adjustment for compression/rebound

rear - i think belltech makes a 2" drop spring? the PPV is also dropped? are there differences between stock springs? will also be looking for shocks I can adjust compression/rebound be able to keep pretty comfy most of the time - and run the compression way up for track night. QA1 part looks like 901 aluminum stocker should work pretty well 14.88 compressed/23.63 extended. as my yukon sits it's just over 20" eye to eye. and available single, double, or non adjustable. would probably be ok for 2" drop also as 2" on the spring shouldnt be exactly 2" on the shock

wheels tires - prob 22-24, not stock, light as i can afford

 

[NORCAL SS]

pm me ive been down this road many times over the years.

 

[randeez]

thanks tony!
ended up starting out with the 2/3-4 kit, got most of it installed yesterday/ went pretty good. still need to put endlinks on rear sway bar, at the time we didnt realize it needed to move over to clear the panhard bar bracket. just threw the stock links back on bar doesnt sit level but it'll do for a few days till i can get back to it.
will be removing the autolevel shocks, hoping that has something to do with the fender height between sides
need some new tires, plenty of tread left but they are just chopped, noisy on the highway, and won't stay balanced. The chrome on the stock rims is starting to peel so i'll probably replace wheels/tires before new shocks

forgot to take before measurements but iirc rear was way up around 38" before drop.
now driveside is 1" lower than passenger side :
LR- 34", LF 33-3/4"
RR-35", RF- 34-3/4"

***took a look at the links for the level sensors, passenger side front was about 1/2" longer so I pushed it back together, may have to get some threaded rod if it pulls apart again

 

[992dr]

Looks great Randy, nice job.

 

[randeez]

Checked the front level sensor links had pulled out of the cup a little bit, maybe 1/2" ...think that may have been why it was sitting uneven - havent remeasured but i dont notice the difference anymore

I did get the sway bar links on, didn't move the driverside bracket tho so it's kinda into the radius

I ordered some QA-1s, ride height as it sits now (with autolevel) is right about 18" shock length. I may throw the spring spacer on if it drops much more deleting the air. I grabbed the delete resistors from ebay and hopefully the correct shock eye bushing.

QA-1 TS806: Compressed Height-13.50", Extended Height-21.00" single adjustable, 3/4" poly eye on both ends

Fox shock makes a sleeve that is 3/4 OD, 14mm ID, and 1.675"L which i'm hoping is the correct one needed, i ordered 4 of them
part no. FOX-213-28-001-B

 

[992dr]

Sounds like you're doing a coil-over conversion.
How are you mounting the rears? The angle in the stock location isn't the most ideal and may change the rate of the coil at such a steep angle.

 

[randeez]

nope rear is staying stock setup, eyeing those spohn arms and panhard now . They make stock replacement shocks but none for our specific application it took a while to figure out which was needed, found the correct length but they make 6-7 different mounting configs ended up just emailing them is the easiest lol belltech shock extensions move the shock back about 2" to help out with the angle

front is prob getting actual coil over tho

 

[992dr]

Nice. I'm doing a conversion in the front as well. What method are you going for mounting them? I've been talking to Atomic (Richard), great guy.

I really like the design of bell techs shock extenders. I have them but cant use them because of DJMs link relocating kit design wont let me.

 

[randeez]

probably the same, am AWD the bottom of atomics bracket kicks out a little bit for more clearance, not sure lowering spindle can be used or not.

 

[992dr]

Nice. Ohh gotcha, yup he's got the right kit for yah. Mines 2wd
If you're planning on using spindles, let him know.

 

[randeez]

front prob wont happen for a while, figured i can unload drop spindles pretty easy and go back to stock if needed so i wasnt to worried about it. liking the ride at the moment, rear springs are much more lively, maybe not as plush as before but i think it'll be nice and do what i want being able to adjust the rear shock. sway bars will probably next suspension mod

 

[randeez]

Checked the front level sensor links had pulled out of the cup a little bit, maybe 1/2" ...think that may have been why it was sitting uneven - havent remeasured but i dont notice the difference anymore

I did get the sway bar links on, didn't move the driverside bracket tho so it's kinda into the radius

I ordered some QA-1s, ride height as it sits now (with autolevel) is right about 18" shock length. I may throw the spring spacer on if it drops much more deleting the air. I grabbed the delete resistors from ebay and hopefully the correct shock eye bushing.

QA-1 TS806: Compressed Height-13.50", Extended Height-21.00" single adjustable, 3/4" poly eye on both ends

Fox shock makes a sleeve that is 3/4 OD, 14mm ID, and 1.675"L which i'm hoping is the correct one needed, i ordered 4 of them
part no. FOX-213-28-001-B

Got all this on earlier to day, everything worked out perfect - i am horrible about taking pictures but i'll crawl under and take some in the morning. The QA-1s come with a bushing in the 3/4"poly (it's "for" a dodge dakota) that is the correct length at the mounts but is only 1/2" - My truck had 9/16 (14mm) so i did grab the correct sleeves, also the ones that it came with have two c clips that keep the shock centered ion the bushing, i couldnt find any sleeves that also had them (ours are pretty well in line i dont know how big of a deal it will be) i will see if it forced it's way to way side and figure something out. QA-1 makes a longer sleeve 2-1/8" iirc that could be cut down that has the indent for c-clips if needed.
removing the air ride shock did seem to drop it some more - i will end up putting the spring spacer in for now until i figure out what i'm doing with the front. Also the panhard bar is kicking the axle over and getting some tire rub so i'm going to go ahead and order the spohn adjustable. i drove around with it on the softest setting and ride was still pretty smooth. anything over like 10 is real bouncy

 

[randeez]

Fender heights are now 33-1/2" driverside, 34" passenger side front and back, to me I still think the front needs to come down a hair tho.
Also instead of cutting off the stock sensors for the resistors i used positap connectors, they make them larger but this size seemed to work the best, just pulled the wrap back about 1.5" and put them on
https://www.amazon.com/Posi-tap-Con...rd_wg=X8q1w&psc=1&refRID=S07TSMQ74BHVNX9JV864

 

[jmm121783]

So I am looking for something very similar but I have a Tahoe SSV aka 4x4.

I don't want to really lift the truck any higher, I would prefer to actually go lower for better handling, MPG and in my opinion looks. I AM NOT TRYING TO LOWER the car but selecting new shocks or springs. In fact I would like to stay with "stock" suspension in regard to spring rates and ride heights. With that in mind, and by already having the Heavy Duty SSV suspension, I was hoping to find a set, pairs, kit or setup that gives me what I want without becoming a 2"-3" drop kit. I LOVE the Belltech drop kits but again, this is a winter truck for some very mild off-roading (Michigan fire trails, two tracks, fields/country driving) and running over of any road debris/hondas lol. I own a slammed HHR that is literally 3" off the ground, that is the lowered car.....The Tahoe needs to be a badass, daily driver with 4x4 capabilities to go where I want to go, nothing crazy.

I was thinking of Bilstien but can't find a lot of information on ride quality/height. I'm open to anything, preferring only bolt ons please, no lift or lowering kits. I would though be open to swapping springs and shocks from another GM truck/model/trim level to achieve similar results. I just dont want to do any fabricating.

My truck currently has what looks like "Unity" shocks front and rear, prob some crap OEM replacements from a Autozone type store.

What would you guys recommend as a Top-of-the-Line 2009 Tahoe SSV 4x4 shocks and/or springs?

 

[992dr]

If you would like to stick with stock, I would suggest looking at GMPartsdirect and get vehicle specific replacement parts. But actual OE parts, not any junk from the local parts suppliers.

I don't know much about the Bilstiens for our vehicles, other than they are quality products. I had them on my other 2dr and they were great but that was not a strut front end. I couldn't imagine them being anything but great. Maybe someone else will chime in with more experience with them.

 

[randeez]

yep, i dont think there much of a difference in front springs (oem). a lot of people run the belltech adjustable front shocks, they can be left stock height or dropped in .5" increments iirc. Bilstien is a very nice manufacturer wouldnt hesitate to run any of their stuff. A shock shouldnt have any effect on the ride height if it says for applications +1-2" the shock itself make be longer than stock at ride height, not that it will raise the truck that much.

the PPV/SSV stuff im not to familiar with - being an SSV 4x4 does it look to be normal ride height without auto level? (rear air shocks). the PPV does use a rear spring with ~2" drop, but from what i heard is a pretty rough ride.

what is it that youre trying to accomplish? if the truck spent its life running down washboard dirt roads a lot of the bushing may need replacing, swaybar endlinks etc to tighten up the ride.

after swapping everything over on the back of mine the difference front to back is noticeable. the front still kinda floats over everything while the back is pretty firm makes for a weird drive.

 

[randeez]

Next up for the front....
Well i was trying not to go much lower, another inch i think would make me happy . These should give me another 2" drop on top of the drop spindles - 800lb/in springs, 900lb/in springs are available and may put me where i want to be. Otherwise i gotta go back to stock spindle, but i think it'll be fine.
I will pull the rear spacer out and probably do the heater hose on the coil to drop the back as far as possible.
waiting on a brackets for the front, I may try and get free mod done this weekend if i got nothing else goin on .

 

[kbuskill]

Next up for the front....
Well i was trying not to go much lower, another inch i think would make me happy . These should give me another 2" drop on top of the drop spindles - 800lb/in springs, 900lb/in springs are available and may put me where i want to be. Otherwise i gotta go back to stock spindle, but i think it'll be fine.
I will pull the rear spacer out and probably do the heater hose on the coil to drop the back as far as possible.
waiting on a brackets for the front, I may try and get free mod done this weekend if i got nothing else goin on .


View attachment 199616

Are you having custom brackets made or does someone already make them?

 

[randeez]

fabricated by a member of a different performance truck website.
https://atomicfabandperformance.com/product/gmt900-2wd4wd-coilover-brackets/

converts to a more common eye to eye mounting set up, also kicks the bottom out a little to allow more clearance for front axle, 2wd can use a t-bar his lower mount

Also went ahead and ordered sway bars,Thanks Tony!

 

[08grey]

I'm watching. This is cool.

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